Second Generation In-Mold Electronic materials enable embedded touch control and lighting

DuPont Electronics & Imaging (Wilmington, DE, US) announced on Sept. 12 that it is launching its second generation of In-Mold Electronic (IME) materials with key advancements in its electrically conductive adhesive, protection encapsulant and crossover dielectric.

IME technology enables functions such as touch controls and lighting to be directly embedded inside of plastic parts by printing circuits onto plastic sheets, which are then thermoformed and injection molded. This is said to allow product engineers to reduce weight and cost while increasing design aesthetics and functionality in everything from car dashboards to home appliances, using fewer parts and manufacturing steps.

DuPont presented new data and key learnings at the In-Mold Electronics Conference & Exhibition (Amsterdam, The Netherlands) Sept.10-11.
 
DuPont’s IME second generation advancements include a new electrically conductive adhesive that is more flexible than epoxy-based systems, a protection encapsulant for use as tie-coat and top seal, and crossover dielectric that reduces the number of layers required.